


Prince

by bmlhillenkeene



Series: Traitors Arc [6]
Category: Chronicles of Narnia (Movies)
Genre: Flashback fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-15
Updated: 2015-09-15
Packaged: 2018-04-21 00:12:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4807592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bmlhillenkeene/pseuds/bmlhillenkeene
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"It's King Edmund actually."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Prince

"Tell me Prince Edmund--" Miraz began.

"King." Edmund interrupted neatly, finishing rolling up the parchment, his eyes flicking in well feigned disinterest towards Miraz, inwardly smirking at the perplexed look that crossed the mans face.

"Pardon me?"

"It's King Edmund actually." Edmund said imperiously, his accent becoming just a touch posher as he spoke. "Just King though. Peter's the High King." He waved the parchment a little as if that explained everything, enjoying the look on the usurpers face. He let it settle for a moment before continuing, as if speaking to a small child. "I know, it's confusing."

To those that didn't know him he had said this with complete earnestness, as if trying to explain something even he could not fully make sense of. But if anyone who did know him, most especially his brother and sisters, they would have understood what he actually meant. It was a gilded insult, and one he had used many times before, during his reign as King of Narnia with those who would not give him the respect befitting a King.

The looks on the assembled Telmarian's faces brought back the memory of the first time he had ever had this conversation, one of his crowning moments if he did say so himself.

xx

The dignitaries bowed as they left the throne room, leaving Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy alone. There was a long moment of silence, before Edmund shuffled forward on his throne so he could peer round his older siblings to lock eyes with Lucy, who he could see was just as scandalised as he was. He was glad to see that he was not the only one annoyed at this development. Finally the silence was broken as Peter began to laugh; Susan's chuckles were hidden behind her hand, but still obvious. Edmunds eyes left Lucy to settle with a glare on Peter.

"I fail to see just what is so amusing Peter." There was an edge to his tone that not even the bravest of his personal guard would dare go against. Unfortunately Peter seemed immune to the power of that tone, and continued to laugh. The laughter began to take the form of words, though for the most part these were unrecognisable.

Finally Peter wiped at his eyes and turned a grin to Edmund. "Can't a King just laugh when he feels the urge, Prince Edmund?"

Edmund glowered at him, but that only seemed to set Peter off again, Edmund could hear a similar conversation taking place between his two sisters. He met Lucy's eyes again and a silent promise passed between them. They would show their honoured guests just who they really were.

x

It had been three months from Edmund had returned from the six month campaign that had almost killed him and his army, but had finally forced those Narnian's who did not know how to forgive, to look beyond the label of traitor, at least, in regards to those who had once fought under the White Witch and now fought for Narnia. He held no such hope for himself, and had resigned himself to it. He was fourteen now, almost a man, in actions if not body, and he had proven that he could and would protect his country as any good King should. Which was why being called 'Prince' rankled him so.

He supposed he could understand the confusion, after all, how many kingdoms had he ever heard of in history that had more than a single King and Queen at any time. He had heard of none. So yes, he could understand the confusion, but really, surely they must have heard of the Four Kings and Queens that were enthroned at Cair Paravel. It was hardly the kind of thing any Narnian would neglect to tell anyone who asked.

That gave him pause. After all, even after four years there were still those who called him traitor, who still whispered about him and those he lead. Even after the Campaign of the 'Traitor's Army', there were still whispers, though they had lessened when Peter had announced that every member involved in the campaign was to be forgiven for past choices, and that discrimination was no longer to be tolerated and would be dealt with sternly.

But even of there were still those who spoke against him, and would happily belittle him to visiting nobles, they would most certainly not disrespect Lucy, who the whole of Narnia adored. So he was forced to regard it as merely an ignorant mistake on the part of their visitors. Lucy would most likely put them to rights.

x

Edmund was absolutely fuming, his anger directed in equal parts to the visitors, who persisted in calling him Prince, even though Lucy had obviously explained if her form of address was anything to go by, but he was not just angry with the visitors, he was furious with his siblings as well, who had merely smiled at him.

He would have spoken up, but this was the first proper diplomatic party from another country, and it wouldn't do to start some kind of incident over a mere title. He supposed he could stick it out a little longer. But that was not really why he was angry, he was angry because none of his siblings had thought to correct their visitors either. He would have thought that Lucy at least would have mentioned it.

x

A week passed slowly, and as Edmund made conversation with the visitors, bearing, with only the barest of grimaces the title of 'Prince'. And he felt he took it with good grace, though he still ached to tell them that he was a KING and should be addressed as such. But really, when he thought about it, really sat down and thought about it, was he really a king?

Aslan had crowned him, this was true, but it was your actions that made you who you truly were, and he was a Traitor. It had become a dark joke amongst his Company when they spoke of battles they had taken part in, and battles that were yet to come, that they were the Traitor's Army. The army lead by the Traitor of Narnia, he was the only traitor left among them since Peter had absolved the entire company after the six month campaign.

What had brought on his melancholy mood? Nothing too much. In fact, something he should have been well used to by now. One of the visitors, a brusque man, large and rather unfriendly, had asked him, with all pretence of respect, what it was like serving a country he had betrayed,

Edmund had been shocked enough that he could not force an answer out before the man smiled, patronisingly and left him gaping like a fish. The worst thing was though that Susan had heard the whole thing, but had not said a word in his defence. Not that he expected his sister to fight his battles for him, but even had she said a kind word to him afterwards, but all he had received was a look of sad disappointment, and all he could think was that the reminder of what he had done had allowed old grievances to return.

He never once wondered where this man had heard about his betrayal, never once stopped to wonder just why his siblings, who had professed and proven many times that they loved and forgave him, would not say a word about how he was being treated. When he saw their concerned looks, the glances they shared with each other, the look of disappointment on their faces after he spoke to the visitors, He could not understand why they were disappointed, he was trying to be gracious, and not make a fuss; he was trying to make this process go smoother.

Obviously he was doing something wrong, something that had made Peter, Susan and Lucy so annoyed with him that they had begun to watch him like hawks throughout meetings with the visitors. It was reaching a point now where Edmund just did not want to get up in the mornings, and the only joy he found in the day was when he trained with his troops.

x

A second week passed, and Edmund sank deeper into a depression, the likes of which had not been seen since before Narnia. But unlike then, he did not snap at others, this time he internalised. Speaking only when asked a direct question, pouring his emotions into his training, working himself into such a state sometimes that Maxus, his Minotaur second in command was becoming worried about his health.

In audience with his siblings he was now referred to as King, though he had not said a word to change it, but even then there was an undertone that said 'Prince' very clearly. The unpleasant man continued to call him Prince if they ever had the misfortune to meet away from prying eyes, and Edmund took the insult silently, though part of him seethed.

Then Susan announced that there would be a feast, an occasion to mark the meeting between their two countries. Edmund was reluctant to attend, but finally agreed. Though he was not looking forward to speaking with the visitors in a social setting, thus far he had managed to avoid such things. He knew his avoidance was not the right thing to do, but he refused to ruin what his brother and sisters had worked so hard for, and with his emotions so confused right now he knew he would embarrass them badly, either by crying or punching someone.

So he agreed to attend, and he spent the entire day before training so hard he very nearly collapsed, and for the first time in days he slept deeply, without the constant wonderings in his head. Wonderings that centred upon his brother and sisters, and whether they did truly forgive him, on the people of Narnia, and how many of them still did not trust him.

But thankfully he slept well, and throughout the following day he began to build up defences to keep himself from crying or growing violent during the feast.

x

The feast was in full swing, creatures were dancing, laughing, drinking. Edmund had tucked himself away, not in the shadows, but not too far from them. He watched, his thoughts swirling, eyes tracking the movements of his sisters, a sad smile touching his face as he watched them dance with their partners, Lucy with Tumnus, the Faun he had first betrayed upon entering Narnia. Susan with a stiff-backed Peter, who even after nearly four years still had two left feet. The only thing he was not Magnificent in.

"Prince Edmund."

Edmund pulled his gaze from his family to focus on the unpleasant man. "Yes?" he asked, trying not to sound annoyed, or angry, or depressed as he spoke.

"You do not dance?" The man towered over Edmund, but it was not his size that made Edmund feel small, but the implications in his words, the obvious goading, that he could not give in to if this entire thing was to be successful and they were to receive allies in these people. Though his temper, held in check much of the past weeks was beginning to spark, the walls he had erected to try and protect his hurt emotions crumbling already.

"I'm afraid I do not." He replied, as politely as he could manage. "If you will excuse me." And he pushed off the wall and began to walk away.

"But Prince Edmund—" the man began.

Edmund froze at the words, and cut the man off with a terse. "King." He snapped, turning back just enough to see the man's face.

The man blinked in some surprise. "Pardon me?" he asked.

"It's KING Edmund actually." Edmund told him, only vaguely aware of the audience that that gathered, he had been unaware that his voice had carried over the music. "Just King. Peter is the High King." He paused for a short moment, eyes narrowing into a glare as the man gaped at him, not having expected his outburst. "I know, it's confusing. But really, whether or not you respect me as a person, you will respect my title. I am a King, not a Prince. Perhaps it is my age that makes you believe you have the right to treat me so disrespectfully, but I'm sure I can say with much more honesty and certainty that I have fought for my country, not once, but twice in war, and innumerate times in smaller battles against those who would harm her. Can you say the same for yourself and your country?

"You once asked me how I felt serving a country I had betrayed, I shall answer you now sir, I feel overwhelmed at the fact that so many forgave me my transgression, and that I would do anything in my power to ensure that Narnia remains a safe and good place to live. Yes I was a Traitor, but I was a child then, one that did not know of the good in Narnia, one that did not understand what Narnia truly was. But I have repented, and continue now and forever in the future to make up for this sin.

"From those I betrayed I will accept anger and bitterness. But I shall not accept cruel words, and insinuations from the likes of you, sir, who knows nothing of the history of this country. And if it continues I will call you out and we shall settle out differences upon the field of battle." He ended his impromptu speech with a cold glare at the man, who had seemed to shrink in stature as Edmund spoke.

"Oh Edmund!" came a small gasp from behind him.

Edmund tensed, unable in his intense state to recognise the tone of the words, but he knew it had been Susan speaking. He swallowed a little before turning to face his siblings, and found himself shocked when Lucy threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly, Susan smiled at him, and Peter nodded proudly.

This was unexpected.

"Please escort this man to his room if you would Oreius." Peter said, motioning to the man Edmund had told off. Oreius, with his own proud look at Edmund complied with a slight bow. Susan and Peter began to usher those who had gathered back out to dance, leaving Lucy with Edmund.

"Oh Edmund, we're ever so proud of you. But really, did you have to wait so long?"

Edmund looked at Lucy in some confusion. "What?"

Lucy shook her head at him, looking up at him earnestly. "I wanted to tell them off so badly when they kept calling you 'Prince', and when they said those things to you, in that tone. But Peter and Susan said that this was a fight you had to fight alone, but none of us thought it would take you so long to realise." She told him.

"Realise?" Edmund asked faintly, still reeling from the fact that he had not received a lecture.

"Oh Edmund." Lucy said softly, hugging her brother again. "We've waited for so long for you to realise that you don't deserve to be treated badly by others. Now that you have realised that in regards to outsiders from the kingdom, hopefully you can believe it of those in Narnia."

"You've more than made up for what you did Edmund." Susan said quietly, rejoining them for a moment, smiling at her younger brother.

Peter appeared behind her and smiled also. "I didn't give that speech three months ago for nothing Ed. What was it you told me when I found you?" he paused to see if Edmund would answer, but he didn't. "You told me that out there, with them, you were no longer King, but a soldier on equal footing with everyone of your army. I decreed that the whole of that army was absolved of past sins against Narnia; that they had all proven themselves, and none were to be treated any differently from those who stood with us in the beginning. That included you Ed. What is it going to take?" there was a faint hint of exasperation in his voice then.

Edmund looked at them all then, and understood, at least a little of what they had been trying to prove to him. It would not be an easy task, forgiving himself, and affording himself the same justice he offered others, but as Aslan would say, nothing worthwhile ever is.

x

Over the years, after he had finally forgiven himself, his initial surge of anger and annoyance at being called 'Prince' had whittled away to amusement at others stupidity, and as such his phrasing changed. He no longer threatened people who called him such, instead he did as he just had to Miraz, seemly earnest in his explanation, while in his head he was laughing at the reaction he had received. Only his family, close friends or those with excellent powers of observation could have picked up the tone that said, in no uncertain terms.

"I know, it's confusing to an absolute idiot like you who could not even be bothered to research your enemies before facing them, and isn't that just very unfortunate for you."

But Miraz and his council were not an observant lot it seemed, so deep in their myriad of deceit and treachery. So Edmund was afforded some time to both savour the reactions, and goad an already off target Miraz into agreeing to the duel with Peter. Not a difficult task for King Edmund the Just.

"You had best hope your brother's sword is sharper than his pen." Miraz said, clearly angry, the sword point wavering as it pointed at Edmund.

Edmund smiled and dipped his head only just slightly in recognition to the agreement and replied in that same earnest tone. "As my blade is quicker than my tongue." And that said he took his leave and rejoined the centaur and giant waiting for him outside the pavilion, and they made their way back to Aslan's How, knowing he had left a few raised eyebrows at his strange response.

But that was a story for a different time.


End file.
